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Gratitude: Day 5

Day 5: Gratitude focus – A school teacher who has impacted my life

Quality or name of God – My Maker

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Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:

»  – Call or send an email to your focus recipient today. In thanking them, name at least one specific thing you learned under their teaching—either in or out of the classroom—that impacted your life.

»$ – Sit down sometime today and write a thank you note or letter to your person of focus. Send it through the mail to arrive later this week. Include an example of how you are trying to influence others in the same way they influenced you.

$ – Purchase a small token of gratitude for this former/current teacher related to their subject matter or to some specific thing that they taught you. Be sure to include a thank you note when you mail this gift to them or before you give it to them personally.

 » = free      »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” (William Arthur Ward)

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When I was in the fourth grade—many, many, yes, many years ago now—we had a unit on pottery in art class. We created figurines, plates, or, as in my case, whatever our object turned out to be. I’ll gladly confess that mine is just plain ugly. My bowl/design of unknown origin is a horrid shade of yellow with a little “sun” etched into the bottom of it. My attempt at creating a scalloped top around the outside is uneven at best. But I created it.

Because I made this object—inspired by a fun art teacher, I might add—I have treated it with great care all these years. It may appear useless to others, but I created it to be a “jewelry holder,” and it serves that purpose to this day. When I take off my everyday jewelry at night, it goes right into my handmade jewelry bowl. I consider it a treasure for no other reason than that I made it.

How much more does God treasure His creations? One of my most comforting thoughts in recent months has been that God is my maker! When I didn’t know where this journey of mine would lead after suddenly losing my job, the fact that God made me, made me with a purpose, and sees a beauty in my design which may not be visible to others, He will take great care of me! In fact, the value He placed on the human race He created was so great that He sent the only Son He had to give His very life for us!

On day five of this month of gratitude, I extend the same invitation to you that the psalmist writes:

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” (Psalm 95:6, NIV)

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 5, 35, 65, 95, 125

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What changes in your thoughts/actions today by remembering that God is your maker? Feel free to leave a comment!

By Petals from the Basket | November 5, 2012 | Bible Reading, Events, Ideas, Life Changes, Thirty Days of Gratitude |

Gratitude: Day 4

Day 4: Gratitude focus – A musician in my church (or community)

Quality or name of God – Maker of heaven and earth

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“Gratitude is the music of the heart, when its chords are swept by the breeze of kindness.” (Author Unknown)

Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:

»  – Call or send an email to your focus recipient today. Thank them for using their talents in a way that honors God and/or in a way that you enjoy. If you are thanking a church musician, tell them after the service that you appreciated their ministry to you today.

»$ – Sit down sometime today and write a thank you note or letter to your person of focus. Thank them for their faithfulness in practicing and preparing for the presentation of their music.

$ – Send a gift card to a local restaurant to your gratitude recipient. In your thank you note, tell them to enjoy this gift after a long rehearsal or after a performance.

 » = free      »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved
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Rather than posting a devotional thought this morning, I will simply share the verse that contains the name of God for today. Please take time today to worship the Lord with others around the teaching of God’s Word.

“Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 124: 8, NIV)

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 4, 34, 64, 94, 124

By Petals from the Basket | November 4, 2012 | Bible Reading, Events, Ideas, Music, Thirty Days of Gratitude |

Gratitude: Day 3

Day 3: Gratitude focus – Someone over the age of 60 who has been an example to me

Quality or name of God – My Shield

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Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:

»  – Call or send an email to your focus recipient today. Tell them you are calling/writing for no other reason than to thank them for their example to you. Tell them briefly about how that example has impacted your life. (ex. “Your love for your husband/wife is an example to my husband and me of what a great marriage looks like.”)

»$ – Sit down sometime today and write a thank you note or letter to your person of focus. Include an example of how you are trying to impact others in the same way. Send it through the mail to arrive early next week!

$ – Using a picture of yourself, your family, or of you with the gratitude recipient, give this individual a framed picture along with a note of thanks. In your note, tell them that you want them to be reminded of their impact on your life. Prepare it today and either stick it in the mail on Monday or to give it to them personally next time you see them.

 » = free      »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved

“Get around people who have something of value to share with you. Their impact will continue to have a significant effect on your life long after they have departed.” (Jim Rohn)

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I had hoped there was some deep, earth-shattering definition for the word “shield” found in Psalm 3:3. There is! It means…drum roll, please…shield. That’s it? Yes, but what an “earth-shattering” truth is found in that thought!

Psalm 3:3 states: “But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.” (NLT) Though we do not use physical armor today, we have all seen pictures of ancient battles when the warriors carried large shields to protect them from the darts (spears) their enemies would throw—often in the form of flaming arrows. This shield was especially helpful for guarding the area of the heart and the organs that are vital for life.

As I read this verse, my mind immediately went to Ephesians 6:16: “…take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (NIV) Under divine inspiration, the author of these words reminds us that while we may not have literal spears coming at us, we do have “the flaming arrows of the evil one” trying to extinguish the very heart of the life we live for Christ.

Yet we don’t have to fear, nor should we focus on those darts of temptation. Instead, we should boldly hold the shield of faith. The Lord Himself is a shield around us, so we don’t have to hang our heads in defeat! We can hold our heads high, thanking Him for the victory that is ours!

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 3, 33, 63, 93, 123

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[Loving reminder: Set your clocks back one hour tonight!]

It’s only day three, but I’m already seeing a change in my focus! Are you? If so, feel free to post a comment and share something God is teaching you by focusing on Him and on your gratitude for others!

By Petals from the Basket | November 3, 2012 | Bible Reading, Events, Friends, Ideas, Thirty Days of Gratitude |

Gratitude: Day 2

Day 2: Gratitude focus – A friend who listens to and/or encourages me

Quality or name of God – My Rock

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“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” (W.T. Purkiser)

Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:

»  – Send an email or, better yet, a card in the mail, to say “Your listening ear is one of my treasured blessings!” or “Your encouragement means the world to me!” Although that is plenty, feel free to include one example of a time when your friend exhibited this act of kindness.

»$ – Send a tea bag/bag of hot chocolate/coffee house gift card to your friend and say, “Your friendship is truly a blessing to me. Thank you for your listening ear and encouraging words. Enjoy some quiet time while enjoying this (gift you inserted)…and know that I am thankful for you!”

$ – Give some flowers, a bottle of her favorite bubble bath, a fall-scented candle, or a pair of inexpensive earrings (for her listening ears) to your friend—and be sure to include a thank-you note!

 » = free (+postage)     »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved
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When you find that rare gift of true friendship, you can open up and be 100% ‘you’ in front of your friend because it’s safe to do so. Last Thursday evening I had the privilege of being me, and I do mean 100% me, as I spent time with a dear friend! This amazing give-and-take friendship we have is one where both of us talk…and both of us listen. It sounds like an obvious element of any friendship, right? But I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s rare to find.

At one point in the evening—I can’t remember if we were laughing or crying at this point—I looked over at my friend and said, “You are such a rock!” By this, I meant that she is my “safe place.” Spending time with her fortifies my spirit and provides an unshakable strength that helps to make me a better person for having spent time with her.

How much more so did the psalmist have these thoughts in mind when he said,

“The Lord is upright;  he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” (Psalm 92:15, NIV)

The writer of these words was calling the very God of heaven his “Rock!” He is indeed a strong cliff, a boulder, an immovable force that will be there for us today and in all of our tomorrows! When I acknowledge the security that lies in that thought, I can be 100% ‘me’ before Him. He knows me…and loves me anyhow! He is the safe place where I can run, stripped of any facade, and pour out both the joys and the sorrows of my heart—knowing that He is listening and that He cares!

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 2, 32, 62, 92, 122

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MOMS: My dear friend Cheryl is participating in the Thirty Days of Gratitude and posted some great ideas here for having your kids join in on the month of gratitude. Thanks, Cheryl!

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I’d love for you to share what you think of when you read that “God is a Rock.” Feel free to leave a comment!

By Petals from the Basket | November 2, 2012 | Bible Reading, Events, Friends, Ideas, Thirty Days of Gratitude |

Gratitude: Day 1

Thank you! I thought those would be the best possible words to start off the first day of November. 🙂 Please know that they are sincere. Thank you for choosing to join me this month as we endeavor to be intentional about our gratitude for others!

If you subscribe to PetalsfromtheBasket.com (remember to confirm your email address), each morning you will receive a short email of the blog post for that day. The email/blog post will contain a reminder of the gratitude focus and will also contain a few practical ideas for showing sincere thanks to the person you selected from that “category.”

The email/blog post will also contain a short inspirational/devotional thought based on the name or character quality of God for that day. As a woman of faith, I wanted to include this part because my deepest gratitude is for the God Who loves me with an unfailing love! To speak of gratitude without including Him just didn’t seem right!

[If you still need a downloadable copy of the “Thirty Days of Gratitude” chart, you can find one here.]

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Our first day together is a little different because we don’t have a “physical” person to thank. But let’s get started, shall we?

Day 1: Gratitude focus – God

Quality or name of God – The God of truth

“Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5, NIV)

I could think of no better way to start our month than with a day of praise and thanks to God—the God of truth! The word ‘truth’ in today’s verse is not merely referring to the absence of anything false. It goes much deeper. The Hebrew word is ’emeth, meaning “faithfulness,” “reliability,” and “stability.” In fact, some translations use “faithful God” instead of “God of truth.”

When the storms of life come at us, we can rely on the faithful and true God Who never changes. His reliability provides a security and a strength that are incomparable and that deserve our highest gratitude!

Take a moment today and simply say, “Thank You, faithful God, for being the truth that never changes. I am grateful that I can rely on You…for everything!”

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” (JFK)

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 1, 31, 61, 91, 121

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Which definition for “God of truth” are you thankful for today? Feel free to leave a comment stating which one…and why.

By Petals from the Basket | November 1, 2012 | Bible Reading, Events, Ideas, Thirty Days of Gratitude |